STM Goods MagArm is an iPhone mount that attaches to your Mac display, either in the office or at a coffee shop. And not only does it hold the handset where it can be easily seen, slip in Apple’s MagSafe charging puck and the MagArm will charge the iPhone too.
I put the accessory for MacBook or Mac desktop to the test. How likely is it to drop the iPhone? Here’s what I found out.
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STM Goods MagArm review
An iPhone lying flat on your desk is nice an all, but it’s more useful pointing toward you. It’s easier to read notifications, and the camera is ready for FaceTime calls. There are a lot of great iPhone stands, but they take up desk space.
The STM Goods MagArm holds your iPhone at eye level. And it clamps to the back of your screen so it takes up almost no room. Plus, it’s portable.
Hardware and design
MagArm clamps to the back of your screen, creating an instant phone holder. That’s very convenient. Especially as you can tilt the iPhone upward and downward, and back and forth too. This lets you point the screen or the front-facing camera directly toward you.
The phone becomes sort of a second display for the laptop. For example, STM Goods’ accessory makes it easy to hold a video call on my phone without taking up any screen space on the notebook.
And you don’t have to mount the iPhone on the side of your computer. Attach the mount to the top and use the handset in landscape mode.
Secure connections
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
For all the benefits, MagArm surely raises concerns about how secure the connections are. I certainly had some.
But the iPhone mount holds very tightly to the computer. First off, there’s a sticky pad. But STM Goods’ designers also built in a hinge-and-twist suction attachment system for a very tight connection. I can tap on the accessory and it won’t budge in the slightest.
And the phone attaches to the mount via the MagSafe magnets built into the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, along with additional magnets in the mount. These make a solid connection that makes me feel confident.
Portable
Removed from the computer and iPhone, the STM Goods MagArm is 7.8 inches long, 3.2 inches wide and 0.8 inches thick. It’s 0.3 pounds.
All that makes it just a tad bulky. It’ll fit in a laptop bag though. And remind yourself that much of of the bulk is the result of a design that does its best to be sure your iPhone won’t tumble to the ground and smash.
Plus, it doesn’t have to be portable at all. STM Goods emphasizes using the accessory with a MacBook but it works at least as well with an iMac.
You can get the MagArm in any color you want, as long as that color is dark gray. And it’s ABS plastic so not the most stylish piece of kit. Still, it’s designed to go behind your computer and phone.
Charging
By itself, STM Goods’ mount can’t charge your iPhone. But it is built around a recessed niche for the Apple MagSafe Charger. Plug this puck — sold separately for $39 — into the niche and your handset will start getting power.
Just to be clear, the puck is not necessary to use MagArm as a mount. The clip-on accessory has its own magnets to hold the iPhone in place.
STM Goods MagArm final thoughts
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The STM Goods MagArm has advantages over a standard phone stand. I like that it holds the handset up next to my computer screen where I can see it very easily. And that it doesn’t take up any space on my desktop. Mostly, I like that there’s very little chance the mount will drop the iPhone.
It’s a wee bit bulkier than I really like, but I understand the reasons why.
Pricing
MagArm is available for $49.95 on the STM Goods website. Or you can find it on Amazon for the same price.
Buy from: Amazon
But if you purchase the MagArm directly from STM Goods before the end of December 2, 2021, you can get a second MagSafe-compatible accessory for free.
You can pick up the official Apple MagSafe Charger to go inside the iPhone mount on Amazon for $29.99 at the time of this writing.
Comparable products
There are some very good iPhone desktop stands with MagSafe. One of my favorites is the Mophie Snap+ Wireless Charging Stand. And there’s the Belkin Boost↑Charge Pro, which powers your handset and AirPods simultaneously.
STM Goods provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out more in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
